Whirligig Descent
by Banjodog
Summary: Following Squall (er, Leon) and his story of how the Heartless destroyed his world and how he got to Traverse Town. He sure knew a lot about the Keyblade, didn't he? CHAPTER EIGHT!!!!
1. Default Chapter

Whirligig Descent  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, and all related characters therein belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Summary: Following Squall (er, Leon) and his story of how the Heartless destroyed his world and how he got to Traverse Town. He sure knew a lot about the Keyblade, didn't he?  
  
  
Author's Note: If you've never played Final Fantasy 8, you might not understand the beginning. Also, the title of this chapter comes from the opening cut scene in FF8. It's an approximate translation of the latin.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter One "Children of Fate, fall into Darkness"  
  
  
Balamb Garden was alive with sound and light as it got into full swing. Everyone in Garden from Headmaster Cid (A/N: not the Cid in the Accessory shop!) to SeeD to student had come, and most were enjoying themselves. Squall Leonhart, SeeD and savior of the world from the evil Sorceress Adel, remained in the corner, feeling quite uncomfortable with the crowd of people. He remained content to hang back in the shadows, hot and sweaty in his uniform, and watch everyone make a fool of themselves on the dance floor. His contentedness was not to last for long, for the seventeen year old Selphie seemed to have a radar that sensed it. Squall would not have minded so much if only she did not always mistake it for lonliness and anti-sociability.   
  
Sure enough, the bubbly SeeD bounced over, a large grin on her face.  
  
"Hey, Squall! Why are you back here? Come on and enjoy the fun!"  
  
Squall just looked at her.  
  
"Oh, Squall, don't look at me like that! I'm just trying to get you to enjoy yourself! You always look lonely and anti-social."  
  
See?  
  
"This...isn't my thing," Squall said, folding his arms.   
  
"Oh, come on! Look! Even Seifer is out there!" Selphie tried, pointing over at the once disgraced student of Balamb.   
  
".....So?"   
  
"Squall, if you don't get out there right now, I'll drag you out there!" Selphie exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips. Squall's right hand sort of twitched to the side, and Selphie looked down to see that he had Lionheart, his gunblade, hidden by the wall. Did he go nowhere without that thing? Selphie gulped.  
  
"Well, maybe I won't, but I'll get Irvine and Seifer over here and they'll drag you out!"   
  
Squall sighed, knowing that that was a threat that Selphie could, and would, follow up on.   
  
"........Whatever," Squall conceded.  
  
"Yay! All right, good, now there's some people that I would like you to meet---" Selphie began, proceeding to grab Squall by the wrist and lead him into the room.   
  
  
Half an hour later, Squall was beginning to wonder when Selphie would look away so he could make his break for it when he felt it. A sudden constricting pain in his chest. Grunting, Squall doubled over, his hands flying to clutch the area where the pain seemed to originate from: his heart.   
  
"Squall? You all right?" Quistis asked, deep concern etched on her face. But Squall wasn't listening. It felt like a knife was stabbing into his heart, and he suddenly couldn't seem to catch his breath.   
  
Squall cried out as another stab of agony stomped on his heart. Squall tried desperately to search his mind for Shiva or Quetzacotl, hoping to summon them so they could destroy whatever was attacking him. He began to panic even more as he found that he could not hear them in the back of his mind. He couldn't summon! He couldn't summon!  
  
Blood flew out of Squall's mouth as he screamed, falling to the floor with a loud thump. By now he had attracted the attention of not only his squad and Seifer, but the entire Garden. Seifer and Zell were at his side, for only they were strong enough to contain Squall's thrashing.   
  
He was vaguely aware of people trying to figure out was attacking Squall, what could make the great and invincible SeeD writhe in agony, but he was more concerned with the absolute terror and pain that he felt. But there was more than pain. He felt fear, and a deep iciness....as though he would never feel happy again. Depression and desperation. He would not survive this.....  
  
Wave after wave of blood poured out of the corners of Squall's mouth, as though his body was trying to purge itself. Knowing that Squall could only injure himself farther if he continued on like this, Seifer grabbed his own gunblade and brought the butt of it over Squall's head, effectively knocking him out.   
  
Seifer picked up his long-time rival and quickly ran to the hospital wing, his speed increased by the feel of weakened beating. Everyone was so confused and worried that no one saw the little creature in the shadows, melting into the floor. 


	2. Ghost Story

Whirligig Descent  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts and all characters belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
  
Author's Note: There is some language in this chapter, hence the PG-13 warning. It's not too bad, though. Thank you all for the great reviews!  
  
  
  
Chapter Two "Ghost Story"  
  
  
  
It was everywhere. A suffocating Darkness with no tint or variations to the theme. A vast...Nothing. Squall had the vague idea that he was falling, but he became far more concerned with the sound of a distant ticking of a clock, and a woman weeping, beneath the silence.   
  
'Crying....why are you crying?' Squall asked, his voice echoing strangely in the void. The weeping continued.   
  
Tick...tick...tick...  
  
'What? Are you crying because of the clock? What time is it?'  
  
Tick  
  
'What is the clock saying?'  
  
Time.  
  
Time to--  
  
So much to do, so little time...  
  
Time to....  
  
It came again. The heart-crunching agony of desperation and desolation. It was but a Wasteland. Squall opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came save for the loathesome ticking of the clock.   
  
So much to do.  
  
Late! I'm late!  
  
Tick....tick...tick....  
  
So little time.  
  
'What time is it!?' Squall mentally screamed at the heavens.  
  
Time to die.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"He's going into cardiac arrest!" Dr. Kadowaki exclaimed, rushing for the paddles while her staff struggled to get oxygen to the gasping, convulsing Squall. The monitors were in a frenzy as the heart line became weaker....and weaker....  
  
"Flatline!" one of the assistants called.   
  
'Damn!' Dr. Kadowaki internally cursed as she rubbed the paddles together, charging them up. "Clear!" she said, and the volt of electricity was sent spiralling, forcing Squall's body into a jump. The heart line beeped once and fell flat again.  
  
"Dammit, Squall! Don't give up on me! Clear!"  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Squall fell with a painful thud on the ground, though to him it appeared he had simply stopped his freefall, or been halted by an invisible wall, for all was still black. Shaking his head, Squall climbed to his feet. Still there was Nothing. The agony of before had receeded into a dull throbbing, enough to be very uncomfortable, but not as severe as to impair his movement and thought process. In this place, combined with the pain, Squall had never felt more alone, Time Compression included. At least there there had been scenery.   
  
"Would you like to hear a ghost story?" a deep voice came from behind. Squall spun around to see a figure (a man, judging by the height and type of voice) covered in a hooded brown cloak. Not one of his features could be seen.   
  
"Who are you? Where am I? Where did you come from?" Squall demanded angrily. He took a few steps forward, but it was odd to note that he did not seem to be any closer than he had been. The figure chuckled.  
  
"So many questions. They will all be answered in good time."  
  
Tick...tick...tick...  
  
"I want answers now!"   
  
"Tsk. It's not good to be impatient."  
  
"NOW!"   
  
"All right, but I doubt it will make sense to you. I am here because it is connected."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"Your world. It was the first one, but it won't be the last. They will all suffer the same Fate that yours will."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Squall growled.  
  
"I told you you wouldn't understand. Now, would you like to hear a ghost story?"  
  
"Not particularly. Tell me where I am."  
  
"I'm surprised you don't recognize it. It is, after all, yours."  
  
"Start making sense."  
  
"This is your place. Your Void. Everyone has one. It holds the darkness of everyone's heart. This....is yours."  
  
Squall grimaced as the pain in his chest stabbed again.  
  
"Thought you were immune, did you? Hardly. No one can escape their own Darkness. Their anti-self, where every fear, every doubt lingers...and thrives. They all lose, in the end. They all succumb. It hurts only to fight it," the figure commented as Squall dropped to his knees.   
  
"Who are you?" Squall managed to gasp out. The figure paused, as if taken aback by the question, but it was only for a moment. He started towards the kneeling Squall, seeming to subtly change height and shape with each step. He stopped a foot in front of Squall and also knelt down. Squall felt the sweat beading on his skin as the figure reached up and pushed back the hood. Squall gasped at what he saw. Brown, spiky hair, hazel/blue eyes and a long scar running across the bridge of the nose.  
  
"I am You."  
  
Squall struggled for breath as the figure smirked.  
  
"Me?" Squall voiced, clutching his chest.   
  
"Of course. Who better to judge you? I am everything in the mirror, everything you keep hidden inside...You are not you without me. I am your Darkness."  
  
Squall was pushed backwards by his mirror-self and he lay spread-eagled as the Other climbed ontop of him, still smirking.   
  
"You cannot escape me. You cannot live without me. You are nothing...without me," Mirror-Squall purred as he leaned forward and kissed Squall roughly on the mouth. Squall gasped in surprise, but this only allowed Mirror-Squall to deepen the kiss. He had Squall's wrists trapped above his head and with the pain in his chest, Squall could not resist.   
  
Squall was left gasping as his mirror-self pulled away slightly, smirk still in place. He leaned forward again, but this time he started to nibble on Squall's ear. "They all succumb. It hurts only to fight it," Mirror Squall murmured, repeating the words from before. The pain became worse. Squall could practically feel his mirror-self smile.   
  
"I'll give you a hint, Squall."  
  
Squall's eyes widened, feeling the hot breath on his ear.  
  
"Dead of night," Mirror-Squall whispered before vanishing into thin air. Squall could barely move from shock before he heard a familiar voice calling his name. He pushed himself up to see Zell, about thirty feet away.  
  
"Zell?" Squall asked, utterly perplexed by the appearance of his friend.  
  
"Squall! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! I have it all figured out!" Zell cried happily.  
  
"What have you figured out?" Squall questioned. Zell smiled.  
  
"You go down," the hyper blonde started, jumping down into the darkness as though he were jumping from the edge of a cliff. He disappeared for a moment before landing again in front of Squall as though he had landed from somewhere up above. "Instead of up."   
  
Squall opened his mouth to ask something when Zell disappeared and he felt another presence behind him. Turning, he saw Rinoa standing there, a look of deep sadness on her face.  
  
"You said you'd wait. But I was waiting. And you...you never came. Why did you never come?"  
  
"Rinoa, I--"  
  
"Squall!"  
  
Another voice interrupted, making Rinoa vanish and Squall whipsaw around to another direction. Quistis was there, anger written all over her.  
  
"You said you'd save us, Squall! We're all dead because of you! The world is gone! You failed us! You failed us, Squall!"  
  
"No, I didn't!"  
  
"Yes you did! You failed! You failed! You failed!"  
  
Squall felt the deep pain come again, his heart pounding painfully against the rib cage. 'It's me!' He thought. 'These are my feelings....my...fears...."  
  
"Oh don't worry. There isn't much you have to do..." Squall looked up again to see Irvine where Quistis had been. The cowboy sharp shooter was staring through the barrel of his gun...straight at Squall.   
  
"Irvine, what are you doing?"  
  
"It's nothing to worry about. You should calm down. Just think of it as a signal...."  
  
Irvine vanished as the shot was fired, and Squall watched the bullet's progress as it sped towards him. He was going to die...surrounded in his own Darkness....  
  
A hand shot out and caught the bullet a mere two inches from Squall's chest. Squall looked up to see Seifer, Hyperion in hand and shaking his head in disgrace.   
  
"Such weakness, Squally-boy. You're so weak. Everyone placed all of their hopes and expectations on their golden boy of Garden, put you so high up on a pedastal. What they didn't know is what I know all to well: you are weak. You can't even fight the Darkness..." Seifer said in disgust and raised Hyperion high. "It would have been better if you were never born. It's no wonder Ellone left you." he added. Squall felt the tears well up in his eyes. The pain was unbearable now. His heart couldn't work.  
  
Badum.  
  
Badum.  
  
Tick...  
  
Badum.   
  
"No one wants to be around you," Seifer said and brough Hyperion down in a flash of metal and light.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Squall arched up from the hospital bed, screaming his lungs out and eventually waking. He gasped for air as his eyes darted wildly in their orbits. After a few seconds he was able to regain his bearings. He was in a room that he had seen far too often, usually after a spar with Seifer. Squall tried to quiet his breathing and steady the rapid beating of his heart.   
  
'Just a dream. It was all just a dream...'  
  
And yet, his chest throbbed dully and his lips felt bruised from the forced kiss.   
  
'Just a dream....'  
  
Tick.  
  
Squall's eyes widened at the sound.  
  
Tick.  
  
He sat up, scanning the room for the source of the sound.  
  
Tick.  
  
"Stop it," Squall said softly, panic in his voice.  
  
Tick.  
  
"Stop."  
  
Tick.  
  
"Stop that ticking!" Squall screamed as he thrashed about. That horrible clock! He was still there! In the Darkness!"  
  
Tock.   
  
Squall paused and jerked his head to the side to see a small alarm clock on the night stand.   
  
Tick.  
  
Squall suddenly picked it up and sent it hurtling across the room, shattering into a million pieces on the floor.  
  
  
  
~TBC~  
  
Author's Note: Squall was out of it for a very long time while he was having his 'dream.' Kadowaki was able to stop his heart attack. When he wakes up, it's a few days later. Just so the confusion is cleared up! 


	3. False Paths

Whirligig Descent   
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and all characters therein belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement intended.  
  
  
Author's Note: Does anyone other than me think that Squall has a really awesome voice in KH? When I first met "Leon," I must have stared at the screen for five minutes before jumping up and down and frightening my mom. But maybe it's just me. Oh, and also, I wonder how long Square and Disney laughed when they put Wonderland's "Queen of Hearts" in.   
  
This is going to be an extra weird chapter...just to warn you....  
  
  
Chapter Three "False Paths"  
  
  
"He's the third one this week," Dr. Kadowaki said, sinking into her chair and rubbing her temple. Quistis frowned as she peered through the glass that seperated doctor's office from patient. Squall sat on his bed, watching the rain outside his window.  
  
"Is it coincidence?"  
  
"I don't think so. It's just too bizarre. Two students and now one SeeD. All in their late teens, all in good health, and none a canidate for a heart attack. It doesn't make any sense."  
  
"Does Squall remember anything? Could he tell us what might have been the cause?"  
  
"No. But then, even if he did know, I doubt he'd tell us," Dr. Kadowaki said, a faint smile lighting up despite the seriousness of her statement.  
  
"Hm," Quistis replied simply, folding her arms and continuing her observation of her former student. The raindrops on the window panes reflected gently on Squall's features, so it appeared as though ghosts of tears--tears never shed in life--were silently streaming down his face.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
It's....very cold in here  
  
It bites to the bone  
  
I'm cold.  
  
'You're such a weakling, Leonhart. Weak.'  
  
But I'm cold.  
  
It's....very cold in here  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Squall waited for the right time to make his escape. He was tired of the same walls and same light and same ceiling of the hospital wing. He wasn't sick. He wasn't hurt. He needed out. So, as the good doctor stepped out for a moment, Squall opened his window and hopped out, not bothering to shield himself from the rain. Rain was able to comfort him in a way that sun and light never could. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the renewed scent of earth and sky. He liked the rain, but it was cold.   
  
Making a decision, Squall sprinted towards, oddly enough, the Garden's garden. Created as a way to relieve the stress of Balamb's students, the garden was extraordinarly popular. It was visited by a constant stream of people, day and night, but it had been designed so that no matter how many people were in the garden, you would rarely run into another person. And, with the rain, Squall was sure that he would be alone. Just how he liked it.   
  
The rain, gentle as it was, soon soaked him to the skin, plastering his hair to his head and most likely ruining his jacket, but Squall didn't care. It felt good to be clean. Squall slowed as he reached the entrance, taking his time.   
  
Take your time.  
  
Squall stepped on the pathway, immediately surrounded by colors muted by the atmosphere. He couldn't help but smile. There was peace here, however cold it was.   
  
'Perhaps I'll go to the maze,' Squall thought, immediately heading towards the enormous hedges that took at least an hour and a half to find your way through. There was nothing better to do with time, than to waste it. Squall made it to maze and headed in without looking at the map in front. He didn't need the hint. He'd solved it many times before.   
  
Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Squall kept his eyes to the ground, wondering if he could solve it without excessive use of his eyes. He knew where the dead ends and false paths were. He knew the way.   
  
Left.  
  
Left.  
  
Immediate right.   
  
The light gray gravel crunched beneath Squall's boots, the only sound beside the muted rain on leaves.   
  
Straight.   
  
Second right.  
  
Easy. He would be out in fifteen minutes.  
  
Left.   
  
Dead end.   
  
Squall faltered as he ran into a hedge that, according to memory, wasn't supposed to be there. Furrowing his brow, Squall turned around, looking for a marker that commonly dotted the maze and gave hints to the hopelessly lost. There was nothing save the gravel and hedges.   
  
'I didn't miss a turn, did I?' Squall wondered, yet seriously doubting the suggestion that he did not know this maze. He looked back at the obtrusive hedge, wondering where it had come from. There was no way they had grown it to change the maze. A hedge like that would have to take years to grow. He must have missed a turn, for it's leaves felt real enough. Squall shook his head and turned to retrace his steps. Perhaps he didn't know the labyrinth as well as he had thought... And so he walked, heading back to start at the beginning again. This time he would pay attention, and be out in fifteen minutes. Like he had planned. But just as he made the turn to where the entrance was, Squall stopped dead in his tracks. Another dead end.   
  
'But...'  
  
This wasn't right. He had retraced his steps exactly...  
  
Squall checked the surrounding pathways to see if perhaps he had gone one too far, but none revealed the entrance. All led deeper into the maze. Squall decided he would try to get on top of the hedge to check his bearings, but he struggled to find a foothold. And the slick leaves were a horrid hinderance. Squall stepped back away from the wall, listening for the sound of someone...anyone...nearby. Just the rain. The cold rain. There was no one, and yet the air felt oppressive. Foul. And from his experience in dealing with it before, Squall could sense evil here.  
  
"What is this?" Squall whispered, as his eyes danced wildly in their orbits. He was lost, and he did not know the way.   
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You can't even find your way out," a voice said from behind. Squall pivoted instantly on his heels to see himself stretched lazily out on a wooden bench made for those too tired to continue with the maze. Squall's eyes widened and his breath quickened. It was his mirror self from his dream, still swathed in the brown cloak and staring wistfully at the cloudy sky.   
  
"What have you done?" Squall breathed, taking a step backwards. Mirror Squall smiled and turned his head to look at him.   
  
"And what makes you think I've done anything?"   
  
"Why have you changed the maze? Why won't you let me out?"   
  
"The only thing that's keeping you here is...you," Mirror Squall said with a little chuckle and sat up. Squall turned to run, but he found that his once open path was closed off. He was boxed in.   
  
"What's the matter, Squall?" Mirror Squall's voice purred right by his ear. Squall jumped and backed off to the side.   
  
"Go away," Squall growled.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Then let me go."  
  
"You still don't get it, do you?"  
  
"I get that you're trying to mess with my head."  
  
"Now why would I do a thing like that?" Mirror Squall said and began to approach Squall again. Squall began to panic and looked for a way out. Mirror Squall was smirking as he stalked towards him, as gracefully as a panther hunting its prey. He was trapped and--that was when Squall saw it. The bench that his mirror self had been lying down on. He lept on top of it and used his years of SeeD training to propel himself from the bench to over the top of the hedge. Mirror Squall laughed and shook his head.   
  
"He thinks he can escape," he said, dark amusement dripping from every word.  
  
Squall ran, he didn't care where, he just ran through the paths, hoping to find anything that looked familiar. He was panicked, and he did not know why. This was his imagination, right? And imagined beings can't hurt...he was still on the side effects of the medicine that Kadowaki had given him...just his imagination...Squall turned a corner.  
  
"Why are you running?" Mirror Squall asked from his position in the middle of the path. Squall gasped and turned to go in the opposite direction. He turned right, right, left...  
  
"It's useless, you know..." Mirror Squall said, again in front of Squall.  
  
"Get out of my head!" Squall exclaimed and turned to run. This stupid rain....he couldn't see markers properly....and it was so cold....  
  
"I am you..."  
  
"Go away!" Squall yelled as he took an adjacent path.  
  
"And you are me."  
  
"Stop it!"   
  
There had to be a way out. There just had to be....there was always a way out....  
  
Squall ran into a body and, startled out of his wits, began to pummel it with his fists...  
  
"Leonhart! What the hell are you doing!" a sharp voice cried out in surprise. Squall looked up to see Seifer's green eyes staring confusedly at him.   
  
"Oh my God! Seifer!" Squall said in relief as he fell to his knees.   
  
"What's wrong? I heard you yelling....hey, shouldn't you be in the Infirmary? Did Kadowaki let you out?" Seifer asked in disapproval.   
  
"Seifer, I'm so glad you're here! I'm being chased--" Squall said in a somewhat hysterical manner. With Squall being so out of character, Seifer grew concerned.  
  
"What? By who?" Seifer demanded.   
  
"He...He looks just like me...and...and...He's over there..." was all Squall could answer, pointing to the corner he had just come around. A dark look passed over Seifer's face as he pulled out Hyperion. He gave one last glance at the still-kneeling Squall before striding over to where Squall had pointed. Squall felt immense relief wash over him. If this guy was real, then Seifer would surely get him....  
  
"Leonhart, I don't see anyone," Seifer said, reappearing from behind the wall. Squall stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right, Leonhart? You look all white..." Seifer said, slinging Hyperion over his shoulder and gazing worriedly at the shaking SeeD.   
  
"But...but I saw him, Seifer. I saw him!"  
  
"All right, all right, calm down. Look, you sit here and I'll go look around, all right?" Seifer said, helping Squall to his feet and leading him to a bench. Squall nodded.  
  
"Yeah, yeah I need to sit down," Squall agreed. Seifer gave one last worried look and went to search for Squall's attacker. Squall sighed and leaned against the back of the bench, shivering from the cold. He closed his eyes and tried to contact Ifrit in the back of his mind, hoping to spread some of the warmth through his chilled body....  
  
"I don't like him," the dreaded voice came. Squall jolted awake to see Mirror Squall sitting in a chair across from him in the square. It was this square that signaled that Squall had made it to the center of the maze.   
  
"I...really don't like him," Mirror Squall repeated, spitting angrily.   
  
"Seifer?" Squall said weakly. It was all that could come out of his mouth. Mirror Squall's eyes blazed, and this allowed Squall to call upon the indifference that he had used so many other times to cover emotions.   
  
"What's the matter? Jealous?" Squall asked, even daring to smirk. Mirror Squall jumped to his feet and raced towards Squall in a speed never thought possible. Squall felt the wind get knocked out of him as his mirror self slammed him against the back of the bench and hedge. Squall found himself staring into his own, very angry eyes that were mere centimeters away.  
  
"Insanely," Mirror Squall said in a low voice that reeked of danger and violence. Squall gulped.   
  
"That's so twisted," he whispered, grimacing at the vice-like grip that Mirror Squall had on his hair. Mirror Squall smirked at the comment.  
  
"I am you. Maybe you're just incredibly vain...." Mirror Squall said, running his free hand up underneath Squall's shirt.  
  
"I don't know who you are," Squall said, shivering at the iciness of his mirror self's hands. Mirror Squall paid no attention and bit against the muscle that connected neck and shoulder. "But you sure as hell aren't me," Squall finished and roughly shoved his mirror self away. Mirror Squall fell to the ground , shocked but soon recovered himself and stood up, glaring daggers at Squall.   
  
"You will not survive it," Mirror Squall said softly. "You will fall with the rest of it..." he added before perking his ears at a sudden sound and vanished. Squall collapsed in on himself, feeling an unfamiliar hotness behind his eyes. He was so cold, he did not notice as he fell to the ground.  
  
"Leonhart? Leonhart!" he heard a distant voice call before all went dark.   
  
I'm...cold.  
  
  
~TBC~   
  
Author's Note: Whoa....I had no idea that Mirror Squall was going to be such a big part of the story. I surprised myself! Of course, it seems he's been a big hit with the reviewers! Lol, just kidding. Well, now that he's here, he will be in connection with the Heartless somehow.... could this be one of the reasons Squall no longer wanted to be "Squall?" Hm...a thought to ponder.... 


	4. Oblivion

Whirligig Descent  
Rating: R  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and all characters therein belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Four "Oblivion"  
  
  
  
  
'Why does it always have to be so damn cold!' Squall mentally cursed as he walked down the hallway, pulling his coat tighter around him. It was late in the evening, and it was always at this time that Squall regretted moving the Garden to Fisherman's Horizon. The breeze off of the sea was always biting and chilly, regardless of the season. He reached for Ifrit in the back of his mind, hoping to summon some warmth, when he realized that he only had Quetzacotl and Shiva. Shiva...goddess of Ice and Snow....Squall felt his left eye twitch and began to walk more hurriedly through the hallway. At least in his dorm he could control the heat.   
  
He had finally been released from the infirmary, for he had managed to convince the good doctor that his latest episode had been cause of the medicine. Anything to get away from those sterile, very irritating walls. Squall frowned at the memory. It was very hazy, and it might have very well been an hallucination, but he was still rather embarrassed and had been purposefully avoiding Seifer. This was rather easy considering one could hear Seifer's voice coming a mile away.   
  
Squall stopped at a window, (an open one, Squall noted angrily) to watch the full moon rise over the vast expanse of water. The water was like a mirror, it was so calm, and if one could see beyond the shore, all sense of direction would be lost. A moonrise with two moons....  
  
  
"There you are, Leonhart, you son of a bitch!" a voice called with great hostility, effectively startling Squall out of his musings. Bringing his mind back to land, Squall noted with surprise that Seifer was striding up to him purposefully, his coat billowing and looking very pissed off.   
  
Squall could only stand there as Seifer marched up to the window and grabbed a hold of Squall's jacket.  
  
"What is your problem, man? I try to be all noble and ask if you're all right, and you go and totally blow me off!"  
  
"What--what are you talking about?" Squall asked, reaching up to try and remove Seifer's hands.   
  
"Don't play dumb with me. I just saw you, out by the maze."  
  
"But, but I've been in the infirmary...I just got out..."  
  
"Bullshit. I know that was you. Either that or it was someone who was identical to you," Seifer sneered, sarcasm and venom dripping from every word. Squall's eyes widened.  
  
"Where did you say you saw me?" Squall asked, voice cracking oddly.  
  
"Don't give me this shit, Leonhart!"  
  
"WHERE!?" Squall yelled, his voice just as forceful.   
  
"BY THE MAZE, GODDAMMIT!"  
  
Squall jerked himself free of Seifer's grasp and lept out the window, running so hard that his Griever pendant was bouncing almost painfully against his chest. He did not bother with the paths, he merely tore through the bushes and shrubs to get to his destination, despite the numerous times he almost tripped on his own speed.   
  
Using a spell that only gunblade weilders know, Squall summoned Lionheart to his hand and entered the maze. He tore his way through the walls, making the path to the center exceptionally easy. A newfound courage was flowing through him, for Seifer had seen his mirror self, and the fact that Seifer could see him meant that that thing was real, and anything real could be destroyed.   
  
He made it to the center, panting and bleeding from where the vegetation had torn at him, to where his mirror self stood, proud and smirking.   
  
"About time," Mirror Squall said, folding his arms. Squall chuckled softly and pulled himself up to his full height, swinging Lionheart into an arc.   
  
"You can't frigten me this time. You made a mistake: you let someone see you. You're real. And therefore you can die," Squall replied. Mirror Squall looked entirely unimpressed. Rather, he seemed highly amused.   
  
"Is that so? If you want to fight me, I'll be more than happy to. But first, let's see how you fare against the Shadows," Mirror Squall said and snapped his fingers. Almost instantly, the shadows created from the moonlight and hedges shifted and took form, creating dozens upon dozens of tiny creatures. They were small but fast, hands ending in razor sharp claws that could rip a person to shreds. Two glowing eyes were the only features that Squall could make out, as the creatures seemed to suck in all light around them, making the area a lot darker despite the full moon.   
  
Squall gripped Lionheart as tight as he could, eyeing the dark creatures that had begun to swarm and sway hungrily around him. It was a tense second, but one of the creatures grew bold and lept at Squall. Instincts honed from years of battle, Squall swung his gunblade to cut the creature in half. It dissolved promptly back into the shadows, but the rest came as one to attack. Squall was fast and his gunblade mighty, but there were too many of them....and it seemed as soon as he killed one, another came to take its place. Their claws easily ripped through the leather, some penetrating deep into his skin.   
  
There were simply too many....  
  
Squall saw his counterpart watching the scene with an amused, knowing grin, and rage flowed through him. And this made him smile.  
  
Now, when he had nothing to do, Squall's mind went at a thousand miles per hour, his brain processing thought after thought. This made him seem hesitant, indecisive, and entirely unfit for command. However, when in battle, his talented mind had several outlets in which to focus, and therefore his decision, logic, and idea processes were brought to lightning fast, genius levels. And it was this trait that allowed Squall to think of a way to win in this current situation.   
  
Faster than the blink of an eye, Squall had assessed the situation: these creatures that his counterpart had summoned had been of the night. They were nothing but shadows given a false life, and there was a very simple way to dispel darkness.  
  
Squall brought his gunblade parallel with his torso and closed his eyes, reaching to the magic well deep within his soul and chanelled it to the steel in his hand. Shaping the magic with his mind, Squall raised his gunblade and released the built up energy.  
  
"SOLARIUM!" he yelled and a great burst of yellow light exploded from his gunblade. It was a very difficult spell that he rarely performed, but it was extremely powerful. Every thing in existence had a power source, a magical energy that could be tapped into, and Squall had just tapped into the energy of the sun itself.   
  
The force of the light blew the shadow creatures away, dissolving them before they even had a chance to realize that they had been hit. Mirror Squall stood up straighter in surpise as the spell destroyed every shadow in the vicinity. There could be no shadows where it could not hide from the light.   
  
Squall's hands began to burn, and he ceased the spell immediately. The light receeded and the shadows returned, but they were newborn shadows, innocent and not yet corrupted. Squall fell to one knee, exhausted and panting, blood seeping from every cut. A faint clapping started.  
  
"Very, impressive, Squall, I must say. I hadn't been expecting that one. That was very good thinking, dispelling shadows with light. But what would you do if I said that those were the weakest things you'll encounter? What if I said that their brothers can walk and fight in daylight just as easily as they could in the dark? Those were...pure shadows and nothing else. False life. Simple animation of an inanimate thing. I can summon the true shadow creatures if you'd like. Or, if you wish, you could try and take me on. Anything to say to that?" Mirror Squall asked, purring darkly. Squall chuckled and looked up through blood shot eyes.  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Renzokouken."   
  
  
  
  
~TBC~  
  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Sorry that's so short, but I had you guys waiting for long enough. You all have a choice: would you rather I rewrite this chapter, or keep it as is and just continue on with the story? I know the action is kind of sudden, but I think that this is where my story is going to start getting good. The destruction of Squall's world.   
  
Also, I don't know if any of you listen to Eminem, or have seen his movie 8 Mile, but in that song "Lose Yourself," there is a verse that goes like this: "I was playin' in the beginnin' but that all changed/ I been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage/ But I kept rhymin' and stepwritin' the next.....  
  
Okay, now here, he says the word cypher. I think he says Seifer, but all the lyric websites say cypher. I think it make a lot of sense if he said Seifer, because of the content and how similar their personalities are. A cypher is some sort of counter or whatever and that really makes no sense. Who else can see Eminem playing Seifer if they made an FF8 movie? Anyone? Anyone? It probably is really written 'cypher' in the song, but I like the idea of Seifer. I'll be Em has played the game. Really, that verse of of "Lose Yourself" is perfect for Seifer.  
  
"I was playin' in the beginnin' but that all changed  
I been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage  
But I kept rhymin' and stepwritin' the next Seifer  
Best believe someone's payin' the pied piper..." 


	5. Reckoning

Whirligig Descent  
Rating: R  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and all characters therein belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement is intended.   
Chapter Five "Reckoning"  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"And?"   
  
"Renzokouken."  
  
Mirror Squall had barely enough time to register the statement before Squall charged, his gunblade sending up sparks as it was dragged across the cobblestones. In an instant, Mirror Squall threw his arms up in a defensive position and the shadows responded, forming a shield around him. Squall brought down his gunblade hard, slashing at the suddenly rock-hard shadows again and again. The shield cracked and groaned under the onslaught, but it held. Squall lept backwards, but the loss of blood had greatly weakened him, so he fell to the ground, unable to finish his attack. He gasped for air as he rested shakily on his hands and knees, Lionheart lying a few feet away, forgotten.   
  
Mirror Squall brought down his arms and the shield dispersed, slinking in to the corners to wait. Mirror Squall studied the beaten form in front of him for a long moment before speaking.  
  
"I know how it feels. The shadows....they....steal your strength. Never have you felt so tired. Why don't you sleep, Squall? Wouldn't that feel nice? Isn't that what you want? To sleep?"  
  
Squall felt as though his eyelids weighed a ton each, and he could barely keep them open. His body could handle more, he knew, but his eyes....  
  
"I...can't...." Squall breathed, wincing at the pain in his ribs. Mirror Squall walked up to him and kneeled, almost tenderly stroking his blood-soaked hair.   
  
"Ever so slowly you can feel it draining....just sleep, Squall. Just sleep...." he murmured. Squall could not help himself and he collapsed onto his side.   
  
"Sleep..."  
  
Squall watched, feeling detached, as the shadows began to move around him. They were changing...changing into black ivy vines, leaves and all, and began to grow. The black plants were growing and curling around his wrists and arms. Sleep began to sound so very tempting....so tempting he did not notice as the vines began to creep around his throat and mouth, slowly choking the air from him.   
  
"Yes, Squall, die....and maybe you'll dream of life....sleep....sleep....."  
  
A sudden loud noise nearly woke Squall from his haze, but the voice had been right. Never in his entire life had he felt so sleepy....  
  
Until the sudden rush of air to his lungs hit him as hard as a sledge hammer, and he was brought back to his senses. He gasped and fought to sit up. He strained against the vines, feeling weak until he noticed Seifer next to him, tearing at the plants.   
  
"Seifer?" Squall voiced, unsure of what he was seeing.  
  
"Come on, Leonhart, get up. I followed you.....Hyne, you were nearly dead...." Seifer said, ripping the last of the plants away from Squall's feet. Seifer grabbed Squall's arms and helped him to his feet.   
  
"W...what..?"  
  
"That imposter of you, I shot him....I saw him fall right over....." Seifer stopped as he looked to the place where he had seen the Squall look alike collapse. There was nothing.   
  
"That....no that's impossible....I shot him....I didn't miss...."  
  
"No, Seifer, you don't understand. You can't kill him," Squall said, the realization seeming to wash over him in horror.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He's not real."  
  
"What the hell is going on, Leonhart?"  
  
Squall looked at him.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"We have to get back inside and alert the SeeDs. We have a terrorist on the grounds who's obviously going to try and pass himself off as you. Come on," Seifer said, starting to run back towards the Garden while still trying to hold Squall upright.   
  
"Wait, my gunblade," Squall said, tearing himself away from Seifer and staggering back towards his weapon. It didn't feel right to just....leave it there. The blade seemed unnaturally heavy, but Squall would rather die than willingly abandon it. It was his soul, even if there was no such thing, and only a gunblade weilder could understand this. So Seifer let him take it, adding to the weight he bore of his own blade.   
  
As soon as they got inside, Seifer reached to an emergency glass box and smashed it. Red flashing lights appeared all through the Garden, accompanied by a low, pulsing ring. It was the signal that all students learned in their first week of training and through drills: a summoning for all top SeeD ranks and staff. The students and lower ranks were to stay in their dorms until further notice.  
  
The response was instantaneous as the elite of the SeeDs rushed out of their dorms and to their stations, performing like a well-oiled machine. Fortunately, it was Quistis, Zell, and Irvine that were closest to Seifer and Squall in the hallway.  
  
"Seifer, what's happened?" Quistis asked, taking in Squall's battered figure.  
  
"There's a terrorist on the grounds. He attacked Commander Leonhart and I have a right to believe that there might be more of them," Seifer answered promptly. Quistis nodded as Zell and Irvine looked alarmed.  
  
"All right, get him up to the Infirmary. I'll get the Headmaster and we'll meet there. Zell, Irvine, you gather the others," Quistis ordered and they took off in their respective directions.   
  
"Come on, Leonhart, we're taking you to the hospital wing," Seifer said, trying to support a slumping and half-delusional Squall.  
  
"They're coming....they're coming..." Squall whispered, his eyes rolling back into his head and losing his balance. Seifer picked him up and began to carry him, struggling with keeping a hold on his gunblade.  
  
"Who? Who's coming?" Seifer asked, trying to keep Squall conscious.   
  
"They are..." Squall answered.   
  
"Don't pass out on me, Leonhart, we need you," Seifer said.   
  
Seifer continued to speak to Squall, going so far as to even pinch him to keep him awake. Dr. Kadowaki and her team were ready, as they should be with an emergency call, to take any injured or casualties.   
  
"Wasn't I just here?" Squall questioned absently as Seifer gently set him on the bed. Seifer took Lionheart away from Squall, him being the only other person that could touch it and live, as Kadowaki's team rushed forward with IVs and an oxygen mask. Squall tried to brush them away, but he was too weak.   
  
"He's lost a lot of blood," Kadowaki noted as she took Squall's pulse and saw the blood-stained leather garments.   
  
Seifer stood back in the corner watching until a group of of SeeDs walked in, Quistis, Cid, Irvine, Zell, and Selphie leading. He stepped forward.  
  
"Headmaster, Commander Leonhart was attacked by what I believe to be a terrorist. There may be more on the grounds," Seifer began immediately, not bothering for Cid to acknowledge him first. Cid turned to the group of SeeDs behind him.   
  
"All of you are to form groups of three and search the grounds. Did you happen to see what the terrorist looked like, Almasy?" Cid questioned, turning back to Seifer.  
  
"He looked....just like Commander Leonhart, sir," Seifer responded. Cid gave him a calculated glance before nodding.  
  
"Form groups of three and search the grounds for a man that looks identical to Commander Leonhart. Dismissed!" Cid ordered and the group dispersed.   
  
The remaining people of Cid, Quistis, Zell, Irvine and Selphie turned to Seifer.  
  
"Explain what you saw, Almasy."  
  
Seifer straightened under the intense and focused gaze of the headmaster.  
  
"I had met with Commander Leonhart moments before the incident. He had acted strangely and I followed him to the maze. It was some time before I was able to find him, but I had seen one of the effects of a spell he had cast and was able to locate him. When I arrived, I saw a man who looked identical to Commander Leonhart. Commander Leonhart had collapsed on the ground and the imposter was kneeling next to him."  
  
"What had happened to Commander Leonhart?"  
  
"He had obviously been attacked, and I could tell that the imposter had been trying to kill him, so I fired my gunblade. I thought I had hit my target, but the imposter had disappeared moments later."  
  
"How had the imposter been trying to kill Commander Leonhart?"  
  
"Suffocation, sir."  
  
"He was strangling him?"  
  
"....No, sir. Commander Leonhart seemed to have been caught up in......plants."  
  
"Plants?" Quistis spoke up.   
  
"Ivy, or some sort of creeper I've never seen before."  
  
"So...he was using...a plant....to suffocate him?" Zell questioned.  
  
"No. The plant.....seemed to be growing under its own volition. The imposter was watching."  
  
"Are you sure of this?" Cid asked.  
  
"I....don't know. It was dark. I think that the imposter might have told Commander Leonhart about the terrorist group's plans...."  
  
"How do you know it's a group?"  
  
"Because on the way here, Commander Leonhart kept saying 'They're coming, they're coming.'"  
  
"No, they're not," a strangled voice called. The group watched as Squall sat up and tore away the oxygen mask.  
  
"Who's coming, Squall?" Irvine asked gently.   
  
"No one," Squall answered. "They're already here."  
To be continued......  
Thank you all for the great reviews and encouragement! Sorry that this chapter had taken so long! 


	6. Exodus

Whirligig Descent  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and all characters therein belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement is intended.   
  
Chapter Six: *Exodus*  
  
"Stretch out your hand to the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt--darkness that can be felt."  
Exodus 10:21  
Mirror Squall stumbled through the darkness, wincing as he pulled his hand away from his stomach and seeing blood coat his fingers. He fell to his knees, trying to ignore the pain and gather the darkness around him. The blackness immediately responded, its tendrils wrapping around him and injecting a numbing cold.   
  
"You were careless," a voice called from behind, startling Mirror Squall out of his concentration and losing the healing darkness. He jumped to his feet and turned to see a shaft of pale green light, pouring from a source uknown, in the middle of the nothing. A being stepped into the light and Mirror Squall's surprise turned to anger.  
  
"What do you want, Maleficent?" he sneered.   
  
"Only that you be more cautious," the tall sorceress replied in her honey and venom voice, a smirk gracing her lips. "However, if you feel that you are unable--"  
  
"I know what I'm doing. I made a mistake, yes, but the world has already lost. The sun has set, it will not rise again," Mirror Squall interrupted. His tone was filled with ice, freezing the blackness around them until both their breaths misted. Maleficent stepped towards Mirror Squall and leaned forward so that her mouth was next to his ear.  
  
"Be sure that it doesn't. Oh, and--" she stopped, plunging a clawed hand into Mirror Squall's stomach. He cried out in pain as she twisted her hand and grabbed the bullet, pulling it back out. Mirror Squall fell to his knees again, panting. "Try not to let your emotions get in the way," Maleficent finished, stepping back and disappearing into the green light.   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"They're already here," Squall said as he threw the oxygen mask to the side. The others stared at him.   
  
"Who? Who's here?" Cid asked, resting his hands on the sides of Squall's bed. Squall opened his mouth to respond when a deafening crack of thunder sounded, so close it made the equipment in the room rattle and having more of the effect of a bomb than thunder.   
  
"A storm?" Selphie voiced, her attention turning towards the window. "They weren't forecasting one," she added almost absently. There was a flash of lightning, followed instantly by another crack of thunder that made both Zell and Selphie cover their ears. Gunshots then started, a weak parody of nature venting her wrath above. It was these and the screams that made the group in the room jump to their feet and rush outside, each bringing their weapons to their hands. Seifer and Squall took the shorter way of leaping through the window and instinctivily assumed their battle stances: Squall on the defense, Seifer on offense and neither noticing the odd absence of rain with the storm, or the half light that had formed...like a deeply overcast morning.   
  
"Seifer, look out!" Squall cried and charged the tiny black creature that had appeared at Seifer's ankles, its bright yellow eyes glaring. He killed it in one swift stroke.   
  
"What was that?" Seifer asked. He had never seen any monster like that before, even during the Lunar Cry.  
  
"Same thing that all these are," Squall answered, bringing up his gunblade and lowering his head. Seifer looked down and saw that more and more of the weird creatures were appearing, seemingly popping out of the ground.   
  
"Well this sucks," Seifer commented as the creatures formed a circle around the two, each pausing to attack. Seifer and Squall turned their backs to the other, as they were taught in team training. There was an odd moment of stillness before the tiny black creatures jumped up, their claws outstretched. Seifer and Squall counter attacked, their gublades easily parrying and slicing the nimble monsters. They were easy enough to kill, but it seemed that once one was killed, another would take its place.   
  
"Where are they all coming from!?" Seifer yelled in disbelief. Lightning continued to flash, causing the two to lose their aim. Another scream pierced the air.  
  
"The others," Squall said, looking up for a moment. "Seifer, come on, we can't kill them all. Let's just run and find the others," he added, killing another creature and taking off towards the garden. Seifer felt obliged enough to kill one more creature before following.   
  
More of the creatures appeared as the two ran, but Squall and Seifer were faster than them. As long as they kept running, they could not be attacked. They could see SeeDs fighting off hoards of the creatures, most successful and yet a few of the trainees lying on the ground and bleeding from many cuts. Squall cut them off from his vision, knowing it would only distract him, and continued to run. He saw Quistis and Irvine fighting together, and Zell and Rinoa not far from them. Quistis spotted them.  
  
"Keep going! We're all all right! Find Selphie! She got seperated from us. We'll be fine!" Squall nodded and sliced another creature that had appeared at his feet. Seifer and Squall started running again before Seifer laid a hand on Squall's arm.  
  
"Leonhart!" he exclaimed. Squall turned to see what had gotten Seifer's attention. A dark ball hung in the hair, flickering with purple and navy blue energy and seeming to grow with each passing minute.  
  
"What is that?" Squall asked.  
  
"That seems to be the question of the day," Seifer remarked.  
  
"Seifer! Squall! Help!" a feminine voice called and both whipped around to see Selphie struggling to fend off a circle of the tiny black creatures. Both men rushed towards her and struck at the monsters. Like always, they fell without too much resistance.   
  
Suddenly, the ground began to shake and with the force of a very powerful explosion, it erupted and sent the three flying backwards. They fell through the hedges that surrounded a large cobblestone square that was used for outdoor celebrations and parties. Seifer and Squall were the first to get to their feet and then helped Selphie to hers. It was then that they noticed that none of the black creatures were appearing here.   
  
"What is going on?" Selphie whimpered.  
  
"The door has opened," responded a voice. Selphie, Squall and Seifer pivoted on their heels to see Mirror Squall standing calmly in the middle of the square, a large puddle of blackness surrounding him. Seifer let out a low growl as Squall narrowed his eyes. Selphie was only confused by the appearance of the Squall look-a-like.   
  
"What are you talking about," Squall demanded rather than asked. "What is this all about?"  
  
"The door has been opened, Squall. Can you walk through it?" Mirror Squall questioned and then fell backwards into the puddle, disappearing as though it were water. None of the tiny group had time to react before another creature began to emerge from the puddle. Squall's eyes widened as Selphie took a few involuntary steps backwards. The new creatures was gigantic, a monstrous and hideously deformed version of the tiny creatures they had been fighting not too long ago. It had the same expressionless yellow eyes, but its head was covered in dark tendrils that moved like snakes. It rested on the balls of its feet, and its lower and upper parts of its body were held together by a black heart that had an 'x' through it.   
  
Squall saw it raise its clawed hands and his 'thousand thoughts per second' brain kicked into high gear.   
  
"Head towards the feet!" he cried and they all ran forwards.   
  
Squall took a swing at the foot, but for some reason his gunblade....missed. Seifer tried to stab at it, but it landed into the stones a few inches away.   
  
"I can't hit it!" Selphie exclaimed.   
  
Squall looked up at the monster, who was gesturing wildly with its hands.   
  
"Why isn't it moving?" Seifer demanded as he saw another little black creature appear. He killed it instantly.  
  
"It looks like it's.....ignoring us," Squall answered, his brow furrowing.   
  
"We have to keep running, Squall! This is too dangerous!" Selphie exclaimed, whipping her nunchucks at another tiny creature. Squall was about to agree when he saw the giant monster lower one of its hands to the ground. More little black monsters sprouted up beneath it and began to jump on it. Some of them actually made it up before slipping back to the ground.  
  
"Guys! The hands!" Squall called out. "The hands are solid! Attack the hands!"   
  
Squall rushed towards the right hand, trying to reach it before it was raised again and ignoring the little creatures. Seifer and Selphie took the left hand together. Squall hacked away at the hand, feeling his blade make contact. This made him smile in grim triumph, not noticing the way the monster had leaned back, summoning more energy from the large black ball that hung in the sky. Soon the hand was raised again and Squall ran back towards the feet. Seifer and Selphie did the same.   
  
"Wait for them to come back down!" Squall ordered and kept himself busy with the little creatures and with the tiny dark energy balls that were now falling to the ground.   
  
"There!" Seifer called and Squall rushed forward, seeing one hand punch into the stones. Another dark pool had formed, and Squall sunk in to his knees. There were more little creatures here than anywhere else, but the hand was the thing that mattered. He slashed at it with all of his strength, firing the gun at the same time he struck with the blade. It was a powerful attack that little could survive.   
  
Time then seemed to slow significantly, the air becoming thick and hard to move in. Squall struck one more time before he was thrown backwards into the pool. The little creatures had disappeared.   
  
Squall watched in terror as the gigantic monster reared back and the dark ball crackled with an overload of energy.   
  
"Squall!" Seifer cried as he and Selphie ran forwards. Squall struggled against the tendrils of darkness that was creeping around him, reaching out a desperate hand.   
  
"Hang on!" Selphie exclaimed as she and Seifer lept towards him, the tips of his fingers just touching Seifers before the pool swallowed him entirely.   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Squall opened his eyes slowly, groaning at the sharp pain in his shoulder and the overwhelming dizziness. He sat up, trying to shake away the discomfort and looked around him.   
  
"Unh.....where am I?" he asked no one in particular. He was sitting in a large field, the green grass kept short and pristine. It was nighttime, and the sky was clear and full of brightly shining stars. Another groan startled him out of his observation and he looked to his left to see another figure lying in the grass.   
  
"Seifer?" Squall said and crawled over. He rolled Seifer onto his back and loosened the choker that Seifer always wore.   
  
"Did anyone get the number of that truck?" Seifer asked in a unsteady voice.   
  
"Seifer, are you all right?" Squall asked, lightly tapping Seifer's cheek.  
  
"Leonhart? Leonhart, watch that first step, it's a doozy," Seifer responded. Squall promptly helped Seifer into a sitting position. Seifer shook his head, trying to get oriented.   
  
"What happened?" Seifer asked, once he had some of his sense back.   
  
"I don't know. And don't even ask me where we are. I haven't a clue," Squall answered and they helped each other to stand.   
  
"Doesn't look like any place I know," Seifer agreed.   
  
"Seifer, look...there," Squall said, pointing to a spot on the horizon. Seifer squinted and he could barely make out the faint outline of a large building, with turrets and towers.  
  
"It looks like a castle," Seifer said.  
  
"There aren't any castles near Garden.....are there?"  
  
"In any case, it's too far too walk tonight. Neither of us are in the best of shape. I don't suppose you have any Cure or Potions on you?" Seifer asked.  
  
"None."  
  
"All right then. I guess we'll just have to camp here tonight. We can figure out what's going on tomorrow," Seifer said. Squall nodded. He really wanted to get to the castle-like building, but Seifer was right. Neither were in the best of health and the castle did seem like a long way off.   
  
"Let's move over to the trees," Squall said, gesturing to the forest that bordered three-fourths of the field. "We'll be safer there."   
  
Squall and Seifer gathered their gunblades, which were lying just a few feet away from them, and walked slowly over to the tree line. Seifer reached into his trench coat and pulled out his emergency box that held a tent and some food.   
  
"Good thing I didn't lose this," he commented and set it up. Squall thought about gathering firewood, but decided against it. He was too tired, and a fire might bring some unwanted attention from monsters and theives. Rather, he spread out the mat that fit wall to wall in the small tent and immediately collapsed to his side. Seifer did the same.   
  
"Seifer?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
".....Do you think the others okay?"  
  
"..........I don't know. Selphie was right with us."  
  
"I...I thought I saw her come through with us.....but....she isn't here....."  
  
"Go to sleep, Leonhart. We'll figure it all out tomorrow."   
~TBC~  
  
A/N: There, I tried to not make it too much of a cliffhanger, faery of fun! I know I am going to get yelled at for putting Seifer in. You're all going to say, "But Seifer isn't in Kingdom Hearts (even though we'd all like him to be!)" and I know he isn't. And he won't be, once I get to that part....hint, hint, nudge, nudge. But you can't really expect Seifer to have been killed by that first attack, can you? I mean, it's Seifer! Also, I know the names of the Heartless that attacked the group, but they didn't, so that was why I had to describe them as being little black creatures. Okay, enough rambling. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! 


	7. Boundaries

Whirligig Descent  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and all characters therein belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement is intended.   
  
Chapter Seven *Boundaries*  
  
Seifer woke slowly, gradually becoming aware of a soft, wet thing moving across his face. He drowsily waved his arm in an attempt to bat away the offending presence.   
  
"Leonhart? Leonhart, what are you doing?" he questioned.   
  
"Making breakfast," came the reply from a little distance away. This startled Seifer awake, allowing him to see that not only had he ended up sprawled halfway out of the tent during the night, but there was also a very large, dog-like thing grossly invading his personal space that extended, oh, roughly ten feet in every direction. Seifer gave a surprised yelp and quickly backed away, his head bumping against the thing's muzzle.  
  
"What is that thing?" Seifer demanded, placing a hand over his pounding heart. Squall gave a little chuckle and stood up to walk next to the beast. He patted its neck and ran his fingers through the hair that was growing out of its neck. The more Seifer looked at it, the less it was looking like a dog, but it was the only thing he could compare it to.   
  
"I'm not really sure, but they seem friendly enough," Squall answered, now stroking the thing's muzzle. At the word, 'them,' Seifer could see that there was another beast tied up near where Squall had been sitting. "I found them when I was exploring this area a little bit."  
  
"When did you get up?"  
  
"A few hours ago. Like we were saying last night, this place doesn't look like anywhere that I know. This forest encompasses three-fourths of the perimeter of the field, and it goes on for quite a while. I didn't go too far, but still. The field is surrounded by a fence, and I found these things inside of it, so they must be kept as pets or something. Also, come here," Squall said, motioning for Seifer to follow him. Seifer stood and did as such, but not before giving the beast a suspiscious look and a wide berth. He walked with Squall out into the field where Squall stopped and pointed to the horizon.   
  
"There's that castle you saw last night, and now you can see a village near it."  
  
"It's far."  
  
"Too far to walk because we have to find someone soon."  
  
"Why not find the people who own those....things? You said that you thought they were kept as pets," Seifer rationalized.  
  
"Yes, but even if they do live nearby, we don't know in which direction. We could end up going in the totally opposite direction and get even more lost than we are now. At least my way, we have an idea of where to go. We don't know how often these things are checked up on. It could be days, and I don't want to wait that long. Do you?"  
  
".....No."  
  
"Okay. Now, I have another thing to show you," Squall said and walked back to camp. He made his way over to the tied up beast and hefted a large chunk of leather off the ground. Even with its obvious deformity, Seifer could tell what it was.   
  
"A saddle? What kind of Chocobo could use that?"  
  
"I don't think it's for Chocobos, Seifer," Squall answered. Seifer blinked, processing the statement. His eyes then widened.   
  
"It's for those things?!?!? No way am I riding one of those!"   
  
"Oh, Seifer! It can't be that much different from a Chocobo. And look, I found some bridles, too. I was examining them, and I think I know how they fit."  
  
"Where did you get all of this?" Seifer asked.  
  
"In a shed on the far side of the field."  
  
"I don't believe this," Seifer muttered, rubbing his forehead.   
  
"I know this is...odd, but what choice do we have?" Squall asked reasonably, lowering the objects to the ground.   
  
"Why do you always have to be right?"   
  
Squall gave a small smile, a rare sight, and for once Seifer admired the other's ability for operating normally under the most bizarre of circumstances.   
  
"I heated up some of our emergency rations, so we can eat and then get started towards the castle," Squall said and moved back towards his spot near the fire where he had been when Seifer woke up. Squall scooped some of the gooey, oatmeal-like mush into two collapsable bowls and pulled out two spoons. Squall started eating, while Seifer played with his 'food' for a minute.  
  
"Did you find Selphie?" he asked quietly, finally taking a bite. Squall paused, staring down into his mush. He was silent for a while.  
  
"Not a trace."   
  
Seifer didn't comment and went back to his food. There was enough to fill him up, and he had nearly finished when Squall spoke again.   
  
"And another thing....I tried to summon Shiva this morning."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"............Nothing. I couldn't find her in my mind and I *know* that I had her junctioned before all of this happened. It was as if....she was never there," Squall said. "Seifer, what's going on? I was all through this area and I didn't run into any monsters. The most that can hurt you in this forest are pricker plants."  
  
"We're lost, simple as that."  
  
"So we have no choice but to go to that village," Squall murmured, sounding as though he were trying to reassure himself of his earlier decision, not Seifer. Not liking this sense of doubt, Seifer stood.  
  
"Well then, let's get going," he commanded.   
  
"Yeah," Squall acquiesed and quickly disassembled the makeshift campsite with Seifer's help.  
  
"I still don't like the idea of riding those things...." Seifer said, watching warily as Squall picked up a saddle and made his way over to one of the creatures, his arm getting swished by a bushy tail.   
  
"They don't seem to mind," Squall countered and shifted the saddle in his arms before lying it over a blanket he had already placed on the animal's back. He reached underneath for the girth, and in doing so he could see a strip of hair that was discolored from frequent use of the leather. Squall moved the saddle farther up the back, near the shoulders, so the girth would align with the fur and pulled it up. This wasn't so different from a Chocobo saddle, and the animal seemed almost bored, so he figured that he was doing something right. He tightened the girth and moved the stirrups down. He then picked up the bridle and untied the animal's head. It stood calmly while he fumbled with the multiple strands of leather before he was able to get it on. The metal bit went all the way to the back of the mouth and he fastened the straps. Nope, not that much different. Squall then threw the reins over the animal's head and held onto them as he turned to Seifer.  
  
"Okay, you're turn," he said. Seifer just stared at him. Squall rolled his eyes in exasperation and handed Seifer the reins to his animal while he tacked up the other one. Seifer nearly jumped when the animal started to nudge its head against Seifer's pockets, but Squall came back to 'rescue' him, leading the other animal.   
  
"Here you go," Squall said, handing Seifer the reins of the one he was leading.   
  
"I'll take this one," Seifer said, motioning to one he was holding. Squall frowned at the sudden change of heart, considering two seconds ago, Seifer was ready to run far, far away.   
  
"Why?" he asked. Seifer shrugged.  
  
"No reason," he answered. Squall shook his head and after a few attempts, was able to get onto the animal. There was a reason that Seifer wanted the first one, and it was quite simple. The first one was entirely black, whereas Squall's animal was just plain brown. Even if he was somewhat, just a little bit, terrified of these animals, he still wanted to make sure his was cooler than Squall's.   
  
"He's not going to bite you, Seifer. Get on," Squall scolded, gathering his animal's reins in his hands. Seifer also mounted, and after a few hesitating squeezes with the legs, the animal started walking forward. Squall came up next to him, both growing accustomed to the feel of the strange animals.  
  
"This isn't so bad," Seifer acknowledged.   
  
"Told you," Squall responded, not being able to hold back his gloating that he was right and Seifer was wrong.   
  
"Shut up, Leonhart," came the reply. They crossed the field, doing some experimental steering with the reins, and Squall dismounted to open the gate.   
  
"Thank you, slave," Seifer said regally, passing through the gate. Squall rolled his eyes and shut the gate so he could mount again.   
  
"Bye, Seifer!" Squall called merrily, bringing his animal to a trot and passing Seifer. Trotting on this animal was a lot easier and A LOT smoother than riding a Chocobo. Seifer growled and gave a tighter squeeze with his legs, causing his animal to start trotting as well. He came up even with Squall and smirked at the other man. Squall smirked back before giving a small nudge with his heels and clicking his mouth. The animal started into a slow canter, nearly throwing Squall off balance before he started to roll his hips with the strides. Yes, this was definately a lot better than a Chocobo.   
  
"Oh no you don't," Seifer said and urged his animal into a canter. Squall peeked over his shoulder and seeing Seifer approaching him, laughed and clicked again, and his animal started moving into a much faster canter. It wasn't long before the two men were involved in an all-out, no holding back gallop, racing over the smooth, green hills and consequently not noticing a few small houses a distance off to the side. It was a high, going this fast with the wind screaming in their ears. Both were about even as they came up over a hill and right to the bank of a large creek. Both animals threw their head back , coming to a halt and effectively tossing both men to the ground and into the water. Squall started laughing hysterically as he sat up, his hair and every other part dripping with water.   
  
"That wasn't funny," Seifer said, brushing some mud off his shoulder.   
  
"Yes it was. Just look at your face!" Squall exclaimed, laughing even harder.   
  
"I think the fall damaged your already questionable head, Leonhart," Seifer remarked and stood up. "Ugh, now I'm all wet."  
  
"Quit whining. It's nice outside and you'll dry soon. It's just water."  
  
Squall also stood up and went to gather his animal who was standing at the creek edge, watching him with something akin to amusement. Squall patted its neck and remounted.   
  
"Come on, Seifer. We still have some ways to go," he said, waiting for Seifer to get back on before crossing the creek at a walk and continuing towards the castle that was now much closer.   
  
They both continued in silence for a while before Seifer spoke up.  
  
"You know, I was thinking...and no snide comments!...I was thinking about that weird look alike of yours."  
  
Squall turned his head sharply.   
  
"What about him? You haven't seen him, have you?"  
  
"No, but that's my point. Listen, he found you when you were at Balamb, so there isn't any reason to believe that he couldn't find you here, right?"  
  
"...Right..."  
  
"And going through a village where people might recognize you might not help the case..."  
  
"Where are you going with this?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking that maybe we should go by a different name if we're passing through that town. I mean, if the hero of the Ultimecia war goes through town and proclaims he's lost, people are going to notice. If we're just anonymous passerbys....well, it will be a lot easier and I won't have to worry about any psycho Squalls leaping out at me."  
  
"You're right. Got any name ideas?"  
  
"I want to be Lucifer."   
  
"No, Seifer, you can't be Lucifer. How about...."  
  
"Goliath?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Well, what about you? Your name's Squall.....so how about Gale?"  
  
"That's fine if you want to be Macy," Squall replied.   
  
"I don't want to be that. Uh....I'll call you Storm. That's a cool name."  
  
"Enough with the weather names, Seifer. Oh, I know...do you want to be Daemon?"  
  
"Um.....that sounds all right. I'll go with it. Now your turn. Let's see....Squall Leonhart. Leonhart. Leon. Hart. Leon. Yeah, that's it! You're now Leon."  
  
"That sucks! Come on, I gave you a cool name."  
  
"And I appreciate that. But you look like a Leon."  
  
".....Do not."  
  
"Do to."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do to."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do to do to do to do to!"  
  
"Do not do not do not do not!"  
  
"Do to times a hundred!"  
  
"Do not times a thousand!"  
  
"Do to times an infinity...plus one!"   
  
Squall growled and Seifer snickered.   
  
"Hey, *Leon.*"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Leeeooonnnn...."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Psst, Leon!"   
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Leon!"  
  
Squall reached over and promptly pushed Seifer off.   
  
"Well, that wasn't very nice," Seifer said, calming his somewhat startled animal and climbing back on.  
  
"You deserved it. Now be on your best behavior, Daemon, we're almost to the town."  
  
"Whatever you say......Leon."  
  
It was a few more minutes before they reached the edge of the town. Both dismounted and started to lead their animals into town....where they promptly froze in their tracks.   
  
"Seifer? Are you....seeing what I'm seeing?"   
  
"I've you've cracked like me, you are," Seifer responded, the sight before him confirming what he had noticed since this morning: everything looked slightly....off. Lines were softer and colors seemed more vivid, and Seifer had thought it to be head trauma from the incident at Balamb, but this......the village was nice, clean, and certainly friendly looking, but the inhabitants were.....animals. Ducks, mice, chipmunks, dogs....all wearing clothes and walking and talking like people. They barely resembled their true animal counterparts....but still......  
  
"Well, hello there. How are you doing this fine day?" a decidedly female duck stopped and asked, holding a basket of fruit over her arm and her sundress and white feathers rustling gently in the breeze. Seifer seemed to have lost the ability to speak as he looked down at her, and Squall was equally as surprised, but he regained his control quicker.  
  
"F...fine," he stammered. The duck smiled.   
  
"Yes, it's hard to be bad on a day like this! Here, take an apple! They're absolutely delicious!" She beamed, handing Squall and happily walked away. Squall stared in amazement at the apple before his animal snatched it out of his hand and began to eat it.   
  
"Well...at least we know it's not poison or....something...." Seifer said, watching the apple get swallowed down.  
  
"Come on, Daemon. Let's see if we can find someone who can help us and tell us...where we are," Squall said with a frown and they started into the strange town. Squall noted that even with all of the animal inhabitants, there were still some humans milling about. Squall walked up to one who was loading vegetables on a cart.   
  
"Excuse me..."  
  
"Oh, hello! How are you gentlemen doing?" he asked with a big smile. "Nice day for a ride on your horses, isn't it?"   
  
Squall looked back at Seifer who mouthed the word 'horses' at him. Squall nodded.   
  
"Yes, beautiful day, but I must admit we have a bit of a problem."  
  
"What can I do to help?"  
  
"Can you tell us where we are?"   
  
The man looked politely puzzled.   
  
"We got a bit disoriented while we were riding our....horses," Squall clarified, trying the new word out on his tongue. The man smiled.   
  
"Perfectly understandable!" he exclaimed. "You're in Magic Kingdom! You boys must be from Frontier Land, by the looks of your clothes. King Mickey resides there, in the castle. He'll probably let you in, if you wanted to see him. It's not too often we get visitors from the other regions. We almost never hear from the Epcot residents, but they're a bit of an odd lot anyway. Still, perfectly friendly they are! Yes, yes, go to the castle. I'm sure the King would be glad to meet with you!"   
  
"Thank you," Squall said and walked back over to Seifer.   
  
"Frontier Land?" he asked.  
  
"Epcot?" Seifer responded.   
  
"Magic Kingdom?" They said together.   
  
"None of that sounds familiar," Seifer said, shaking his head. Squall sighed and looked around.   
  
"I guess all we can do is go to the castle and find that king. If he's as friendly as these...people....we shouldn't have too much of a problem."  
  
"Well, it's not like this can get any weirder," Seifer shrugged, handing the reins of the brown horse back to Squall. "Come on, Leon. There's nothing else we can do."  
  
With help from the residents, Seifer and Squall made their way through the town to the castle gates, where the guards let them in with big friendly smiles and an escort to bring them into the castle.   
  
"I wish it was this easy during the war...." Squall muttered as a young boy took the horses from them and led them to the royal stables. No one even mentioned the very threatening gunblades both men had with them.  
  
Seifer was silent while they were brought through the castle, the escort pointing out painting and several architectural features. Finally, they were halted in front of two impossibly large doors, and Seifer couldn't help but gape. Who could move those?  
  
The guard knocked and on the doors and a smaller, more manageable one appeared, causing Seifer and Squall to do a double take before they caught up with the guard.   
  
"Me and my big mouth," Seifer muttered as they approached the king's throne, referring to his earlier statement of, and quote, 'well, it's not like this can get any weirder.'   
  
The escort bowed low, Seifer and Squall following suit, before he quickly turned on his heels and left.   
  
"Your highness, I am S--Leon, and this is my friend, Daemon. We have come for your assistance because we seem to have gotten--"  
  
"Lost?" the mouse king offered. Squall blinked.  
  
"How--"  
  
"I've been expecting you."  
  
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Squall said, looking at Seifer who just shook his head. King Mickey sighed, and the sad look that crossed his face didn't seem to set right. Even Squall, who met him one minute ago, knew that such an expression for the king was....wrong.   
  
"Come with me," he said, standing up and guiding the two out of the entrance hall and into the adjoining library. Hanging on a wall where there were no shelves was a big map of the stars, and mapped out constellations that Squall didn't recognize. These weren't his stars. This wasn't his night sky.   
  
"It was an accident, really. I was outside looking at the stars when I noticed that one vanished," King Mickey said, gesturing to the sky map.   
  
"Vanish? How can a star just...vanish?"  
  
"I don't know. But that's what it did...blinked out. And I think....that it was your star."  
  
"What?" Seifer exclaimed. "How do you figure?"  
  
King Mickey sighed again.   
  
"It's a long story," he said.   
  
"We're listening," Squall said.   
  
"All right. Sit down then, because you're the first, and I have a theory that you won't be the last...."  
  
'It was the first one, but it won't be the last. They will all suffer the same Fate yours will...'  
  
Squall gulped as his counterpart's words echoed in his mind, knowing that somehow his evil mirror self was somehow involved, and everything was going to change.   
  
~TBC~  
  
Author's Note: Whew! I finally got this chapter out! I must have started it about a gazillion times before I just forced myself to sit down and write!! I wanted to make this chapter a little bit more light-hearted before the story "starts," because I wanted to give my boys a moment of happiness before the dizzying Descent begins. Plus, it was fun to write the boys arguing. They are mature, somewhat cold boys, but boys just the same! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! They're so encouraging! I love you all to death! Also, has anyone else noticed that during FF8, when Squall rides a Chocobo, he looks really uncomfortable?   
  
~Banjodog 


	8. Legends

Whirligig Descent  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and all characters therein belong to Squaresoft and Disney. No copyright infringement is intended.   
  
Author's Notes: Thank you all for the great reviews! I'm glad you aren't mad at me for putting Seifer in. It'll all make sense later on. Also, I haven't forgotten about Hollow Bastion or what Aerith said in the castle Grand Hall, so I will be connecting it later. The reason it took me so long to get this chapter out was that I had to finish the Kingdom Hearts game before I posted this so it didn't totally contradict everything. It was an awesome ending. I felt so proud of myself for finishing it!! So anyway, here is the next chapter of Whirligig Descent and I hope you all enjoy.   
  
Chapter Eight *Legends*  
  
Squall and Seifer sat across from King Mickey as the mouse pulled a large, worn book off the shelf. He flipped through the pages and, upon finding what he wanted, turned it so both men could see.  
  
"A long time ago, before the Creation, there were two warring states: Light and Darkness. They fought constantly, but their battles always ended in stalemate. It's said that it was out of Light's sweat and Darkness' blood that all life and the universe in which it resided was created. Everything was new and innocent, so Divine Intervention ordered the deaths of Light and Darkness, fearing that their war would annihilate everything. Before their destruction, Light and Darkness dispersed some of their energies throughout the universe, so that everything would have a little bit of light and a little bit of darkness within them--"  
  
Once again, Squall heard his counterpart's voice echo in his mind:  
  
'This is your place. Your Void. Everyone has one. It holds the darkness of everyone's heart. This is yours.'  
  
"--so even if the actual beings themselves are gone, their battle is still being fought. Light against Darkness, Good against Evil, Hope against Desperation....it's all a viscious cycle, but until this time, the powers have remained in balance. Something has upset that balance, and the agents of Darkness are trying to restore their master to the throne."  
  
"How do you know this?" Squall asked.  
  
"Because it's happened before. Or at least according to the legend it has. Soon after the Great Deaths, those who had surrendered to the darkness within them had found a way to destroy the will of those resisting the poison, and they rapidly gained power."  
  
At this, King Mickey turned the page of the book to show an illustration of violence and gore; with a shadow descending upon the people who were covering their eyes and ears against it. Flanking the shadow on its right were rows of flames, while on the left was a snarling, ravaged wolf.   
  
"At the upset of power, Divine Intervention called out the last pure hearts--those untouched by the influx of energy before the Great Deaths--and sacrificed them to create a weapon that could destroy the darkness: the Keyblade."  
  
Once again, King Mickey turned the page to another illustration, which was of a lone figure that was completely silhouetted by the blinding light that was emanating from the sword like thing it held aloft. The wolf from the former picture was dead, lying in a pile of dim embers at the figure's feet.   
  
"The Keyblade is the only true pure left in the universe, so it is the only thing that can combat the darkness...those who have no good left in them."  
  
"And....this Keyblade...it's real?" Seifer questioned curiously.   
  
"To be honest, I don't really know. It's said that only the strongest of hearts can summon and wield the Keyblade. It is that person and that person only that it will obey. Some people have read that part of the text as: 'only the purest of hearts' can summon it, but that can't be right, as there is no absolute good. Absolute good and evil died a long time ago...and we are left to deal with the side effects. Only....the problem is that we might not be able to keep the balance. Hearts are easily poisoned these days," King Mickey said sadly. Squall glanced at Seifer, who was refusing to look back at him.   
  
"So the Keyblade will come to only one person?" Squall said, turning the subject slightly. The king nodded.  
  
"Yes, so there is no way for any of us to find it. The stories tell us that the Keyblade has no real form of its own, but it can take many different forms depending on the magic the wielder infuses it with. There are several relics--lost of course--that are rumored to give the Keyblade power, and one supposedly has been handed down through my family for countless generations," King Mickey said, standing and grabbing a glass case off of a shelf. He opened it and pulled out the object, handling it as though it would break at the slightest movement.   
  
"The Kingdom," King Mickey said, lying the chain across the open book. It looked like an ordinary chain to Squall, but the pendant that was attatched drew his attention. He recognized it as the symbol that was shown everywhere in the castle, but his experience with magic put him on his guard with this particular item. He glanced again at Seifer, who was eyeing the chain oddly.   
  
The silence lasted for several long moments before Squall spoke up again.  
  
"What does all of this have to do with why we are here?" he asked. King Mickey paused.  
  
"The legend says that before Light and Darkness died, they gave everyone and every*thing* a part of themselves. This means every person, every animal, every plant....every *world* contains some light and darkness."  
  
"You mean...worlds themselves have darkness?"   
  
"Yes, and the agents of darkness are drawn to this mixture at the core of every world, seeking to exploit it. Never forget, Darkness and Light are trying to come back and rule supreme. And do not be fooled by stereotypes....Light is as equally ruthless as Darkness is...and both exist only to destroy the other. Even in death they feud.  
  
There were safeguards, of course. All worlds coexisted peacefully, all unaware of the others, because of the walls built up around them. This kept the battles of light and dark to a minimum, and therefore easier to handle, but if the walls fall and the worlds become connected...the magic that binds everything together will crack and break and all will fall into darkness. It was a trap built in from the beginning. Light seperated everything....Darkness could make it all come back together again if it could only find a way....through its minions, it might have done so. The threat of darkness is real....we can only hope that the Keyblade is as well."  
  
"Everything was seperate. Everything was equal....and now darkness has found a way," Squall said softly, sitting back in his chair. The color had drained out of Seifer's face as he continued to stare at the the Kingdom, and he made a few gulping sounds.   
  
"I--I'm not feeling too well--" Seifer said, pushing himself away from the table and doubling over slightly. Squall rose to help him, but Seifer waved him a way. "I just need to lie down..." he said. King Mickey also rose and put a comforting hand on his arm.   
  
"You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you like. I can show you to your rooms," he said and guided Seifer out, Squall following.  
  
The king got them quickly to the guest room area and helped Seifer into his room, making sure he had made it to the bed, and came back out.   
  
"Is he all right?" Squall asked.   
  
"I'm sure he is, Leon. Being that close to the darkness as I'm sure you both were...it can overwhelm a person. A little rest is all he needs. Come, your room is just down the hall," King Mickey answered and led Squall to another room and showed him where everything was.   
  
"Will you be all right for now?" the king asked. Squall smiled softly.  
  
"I've seen worse conditions," he said with a shrug. Truth was, by the stature of the room, Squall felt like he was a noble rather than a person who wandered in off the streets. King Mickey laughed.   
  
"Let me know if you need anything," he said and walked out of the room. Squall walked out onto the small balcony the room was equipped with and stared out across the land that had been introduced to him as Magic Kingdom. It was late in the afternoon, and the sun would be starting to set soon. They had been talking for longer than he thought.   
  
It was all almost impossible to believe. Light, Darkness, different worlds, hearts, a mysterious Keyblade....it was all overwhelming and Squall began to understand how Seifer felt. He himself was starting to get nauseous. It had all happened so fast...and now his suspicions had been confirmed: everything was gone. Gone. Swallowed by the darkness. There was no way he could go back home...  
  
A timid knocking at Squall's door drew him out of his reverie.   
  
"Come in," he called, turning his head towards the door, which opened to reveal a lady duck in a deep navy dress carrying a large tray. Squall immediately stood and walked back into the room.  
  
"Hello, my name's Daisy. I'm the wife of the King's wizard, Donald. He isn't here right now, he went to Epcot for the king," the duck said, curtseying slightly so as not to disturb the tray she was carrying.   
  
Squall inclined his head in response.  
  
"My name is Leon. The king was kind enough to let me and my friend Daemon stay here for the night."   
  
"That's so wonderful! We rarely have visitors from the faraway regions of Magic Kingdom, so that is why I brought up your food instead of one of the servants. I wanted to meet with you both," Daisy said, setting the large tray down on the nearby dresser. Squall smiled politely.  
  
"Thank you very much, but I don't think Daemon is feeling too well at the moment. He will be fine later, I'm sure," he said.   
  
"I'm sorry to hear that he's sick. I'll see if I can find some medicine. I'll come back later to see how you're both doing," she responded, sounding genuinely concerned for 'Daemon's' well-being.   
  
"Thank you," Squall said and bowed slightly as Daisy left the room. His stomach growled, making him realize how hungry he was, and walked over to the tray. He lifted up the lid to see some of the most delicious looking foods he had ever laid eyes upon. Quickly snatching it up, Squall took the tray back down the hall to Seifer's room, where he knocked lightly before entering.   
  
He saw Seifer sitting on the edge of his bed, head in his hands and gray trenchcoat slung over the footboard. He gave no acknowledgement to Squall's presence.  
  
"Seifer? You all right?" he asked, moving to sit next to his...well, not quite *friend,* but as close to it as they got.   
  
"I think so. I just.....I suddenly felt so sick. I got so dizzy...I think I'm all right now," Seifer said, rubbing his palms against his forehead.   
  
"Well, I brought some food. Maybe if you eat something..." Squall said, showing Seifer the tray.   
  
"Looks good," Seifer admitted. They both moved to sit on the floor, for a lack of a decent table, with the tray between them.   
  
"I just can't believe it's all gone," Seifer said, pushing a piece of bread into his mouth. Squall stared down into his drink.  
  
"There's nothing we can do about it, really," he said softly. Seifer looked up sharply, a hard glint in his green eyes.   
  
"How can you say that, Leonhart?" he demanded.   
  
"There isn't," Squall shrugged. Seifer growled and lept forward, knocking over his glass of water and pinning Squall to the ground.   
  
"How the hell can you be so cold about it!? Our world is GONE, Leonhart! Gone! We're stuck here for the rest of our lives! And you act like it's no big *deal?* Where do you get that high and mighty that nothing matters!? *Do you have no heart at all?*" Seifer interrogated, shaking Squall roughly. Squall glared back.  
  
"I do care! I hate this! I hate all of this! But what are you going to do, Seifer? Huh? Snap your fingers and have it all be right again? Or do you plan to whine and rant until whatever gods there are are sick of it and give it all back? Is that your plan?"   
  
Seifer stared at Squall, feeling the back of his eyes get hot, before he got back up, releasing the lapels of Squall's jacket and backing up against the wall and burying his head in his arms.   
  
"We can never go back," Seifer mumbled and Squall propped himself up on one elbow, using the other hand to rub the back of his head.   
  
"No we can't, Seifer," he agreed. "But we are going to prevent this from happening to other people," he said. Seifer looked back at him. "We can't change what happened to us. But we can change what will happen. And we will."  
  
Seifer didn't answer, but rather curled up again.   
  
"....I'm sorry I hurt you."  
  
"It's all right. I suppose Armageddon can throw a person for a bit of a loop," Squall admitted. Seifer gave a bitter chuckle. "Why don't you get some rest, Seifer. All will be different tomorrow."  
  
Squall stood and left the room, choosing for himself to wander rather than go to bed. Walking always soothed his mind, for staying cooped up in one spot just got him frustrated. He just walked through the corridors, because he felt that going into rooms uninvited breached the king's hospitality, but that was enough to keep him occupied. He entered one hallway that was far grander than anything he had ever seen. The hall, while narrow itself, was very long and impossibly huge, its ceiling supported by flying butresses. The wall that faced out over Magic Kingdom was made of arches and stained glass windows, and the only colors in the glass were varying shades of blue. With this lighting, it made the hall seem like a deep, underwater sanctum.   
  
Nearly mesmerized by the effect, Squall walked down the corridor only to stop in front of a giant painting that he recognized as the second illustration from the book shown to him earlier. Granted, the effect of the glass had dyed everything blue, but the feel of the painting remained the same. The wolf lay dead at the figure's feet, and the fires beaten down, but the magnitude of the painting allowed Squall to notice things that he hadn't seen before. In the distant background, there were piles and piles of...dead bodies. He looked back at the main focus of the painting: the glowing, etheral Keyblade. It's own brightness darkened everything around it, including its wielder. Was it so powerful it could blot out the one that held it? If so, then why was the wielder holding it aloft like some great wonder? Like the wielder owned it, instead of the other way around? All in all, it was a painting of mixed messages.   
  
"What is this thing?" Squall breathed, studying the Keyblade's image with close scrutiny.  
  
"A very dangerous thing," came a reply. Squall pivoted on his heels to see King Mickey beside him, his gaze also fixed on the painting. "The Keyblade obeys only the one with the strongest heart, even if that heart does not have...the best of intentions," he added.   
  
"You make it sound as though the Keyblade has a will of its own."  
  
"Maybe it does."  
  
Squall took an involuntary step backwards, too shocked to say anything. King Mickey sighed.   
  
"The Keyblade can be used for light or darkness, whoever it feels is worthy."  
  
"But you said that the Keyblade was made from the sacrifice of the purest of hearts. How could it respond to such...evil?"  
  
"Purest does not coincide with goodness. The hearts that were sacrificed to make the Keyblade were hearts that contained neither light nor darkness. They were not infused with energies before the Great Deaths, however difficult that is to imagine. They were free from all influence, and therefore, so is the Keyblade. We're just lucky that most people who believe in the light in their hearts are stronger than those who have been poisoned. Divine Intervention had called for a weapon that could defeat darkness, not one that could not defeat light as well."  
  
"...So the Keyblade....people are going to be looking for it," Squall said, picturing his counterpart in his mind's eye.   
  
"Yes, they are. Which is why I have decided to ask you of this favor, Leon. You must have been awfully strong to survive the attack on your world. Travelling such a great distance with so little hope...it takes a lot of will. I think you could find the Keyblade, or at least the one who will wield it," King Mickey said, turning to face Squall.   
  
"Me? How could *I* possibly find this thing? I don't even know what's going on."  
  
"The Keyblade must be found, Leon. I don't know enough to tell you what is happening. All I know are the stories and legends. However, I do know of someone who might be able to help..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"His name is Ansem. He lives in a great castle called Hollow Bastion. He isn't aware of any worlds outside of his own, but I've been able to watch him for the past few years now. He's been studying the darkness and I think that he might have an idea of what has been going on. My instruments have been getting some odd readings from Hollow Bastion, and I think it's necessary to figure this all out as quickly as possible. I must go visit him, but I cannot search for the Keyblade at the same time. I need your help, Leon. Can you help me?" King Mickey asked.   
  
"What must be done?" Squall asked cautiously. He had recieved missions before, so that was not so upsetting, it was the circumstances.   
  
"The agents of darkness will be looking for the Keyblade Master, so they will be destroying all the worlds that they can get to. I can't have all the lost ones coming here--"  
  
"Why did we come here, of all places?" Squall interrupted, finally getting the chance to ask the question that had been bothering him since he recovered from the attack.   
  
"I think it has to do with the magic signature of my kingdom. All hearts are drawn to magic, however weak the signal. Right now, the magic has the strongest foothold here, so that was why you came here. I can't have everyone here, where they wouldn't stay protected."  
  
"Why didn't darkness come here first then?"  
  
"There is too much light centered here, and so far I've been able to maintain the barrier seperating my world from the others. I'm fairly confident in it, but if I start to recieve all the lost ones, it might weaken the barrier and the darkness would come here. I need you to find another world to which they can all go...one that can at least resist the darkness."  
  
"How is that possible?"   
  
"Simply believe," King Mickey responded.   
  
"That's it? Believe? Believe in what?"  
  
"Leon, you mustn't doubt yourself if this is to work."  
  
"Why won't you tell me more?"  
  
"Because that's all there is to it."   
  
"But...."  
  
"Leon, we don't have any choice. Other worlds are going to be destroyed. People are going to die, people are going to lose everything....just like you did," King Mickey said. Leon looked down to the floor, his mind working overtime trying to take in all that had happened. His world was gone, but like he told Seifer, he could prevent it from happening to others. He could provide others with hope....a home. He could *do* something.   
  
"What should I do?" Squall asked at length.   
  
"Come with me," King Mickey answered and led Squall out of the hallway. Squall followed him deeper and deeper into the castle, down winding steps and into a hangar that was filled with large, colorful gears and a lot of light.   
  
"Chip! Dale!" King Mickey called out. Two chipmunks quickly appeared, standing straight before the king and saluting. "Leon, this is Chip and Dale, they are my flight engineers. Together we have created a ship that can travel through space and to other worlds."  
  
"How?" Squall asked with curiosity. He knew ships that could move in space, but to other worlds?  
  
"With this," King Mickey said, reaching into a nearby bucket and pulling out a handful of a wiggling, gelatinous substance. "We call them gummi blocks. We discovered them about two years ago during a meteor shower that we had. Strong, but very flexible. Easy to build with, and easy to shape. It wasn't too long before we realized that we could make a ship with them and I took it for a test run. I was able to exit and enter through the barrier surrounding my world with minimum resistance. I didn't go any farther than that, but it's possible. People could travel through space with normal technology for all of eternity and never realize they are passing hundreds upon thousands of other worlds. With the gummi ships, the barriers can be breached."  
  
Squall took the small block from the king and rolled it around in his hands. It didn't seem sturdy enough to build a ship, much last travel to other worlds, but Squall was learning not to put anything past this place.   
  
"We will give you a ship, and you can look for a world for the lost ones to go to. While doing such, you can look for the one that has the strength to master the Keyblade. It's a guarantee that such a person would survive an attack on their world. You may have some difficulty finding a world...many barriers are still at full strength. However, as time goes on, you might be able to get to more places," the king explained, taking the gummi piece back and dropping it in the bucket. Squall nodded, and saw an object that he now recognized as a ship over in the corner. He stared at it, almost not feeling the gentle touch on his arm.   
  
"Leon, I believe in you. You're strong and I think you'll handle this well. However, I am worried about Daemon," the king admitted. Squall was taken aback.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He reacted badly to the magic of the Kingdom back in the library. I don't think that he can resist darkness as easily as you, Leon. You might consider leaving him here."  
  
Squall shook his head vehemently.   
  
"No, he's coming with me. There's no way that I can do this alone," he said.   
  
"He will be in great danger."  
  
We're just going to have to take that risk," Squall responded firmly. King Mickey smiled.   
  
"Then he might just stand a chance. We have no time to waste. Do you think you can be ready tomorrow?"  
  
"If you can stock me up with supplies, I can."  
  
"Good. We have to stop the threat before it gets out of hand. I have every faith in you, Leon. You might be just the person we need."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"I don't believe this," Seifer said as he watched Squall load up the insides of his bomber jacket with hi-potions and elixers. Squall shrugged his jacket on to make sure it was still comfortable and easy to move in and then picked up his gunblade to inspect it for flaws.   
  
"Well, it's not like we have any other option," Squall responded, lifting up the blade to check the sights. "We have to try and stop the darkness."  
  
"But how? If you ask me, this king hasn't been very informative on that subject. The way he was talking, it sounded like only the Keyblade Master could stop the darkness."  
  
"We're supposed to find the Keyblade Master."  
  
"How?"  
  
"By channeling the refugees of destroyed worlds to a designated world. Surely we'd find them that way."  
  
"I still think it's a bunch of nonsense. Hell, we don't even know if any of this is for real. We could just be unconscious and dreaming all this up."  
  
"How could we be having the same dream?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe I'm the one dreaming and I'm stretched out in the Infirmary while the good doctor is saying I'll never wake up."  
  
Squall blinked at him.  
  
"I doubt that, Seifer."  
  
"In any case, this is crazy. How are you supposed to create a world for the survivors?"  
  
"I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get to it."  
  
"I hate you."  
  
"Seifer, we don't have a choice. Would you rather just sit here and do *nothing?* This world won't stay protected forever and either way you will have to face it. It's not a matter of 'if,' it's a matter of 'when.' Now, are you coming with me, or not?" Squall asked, moving to stand in front of the door.  
  
"....I hate you."  
  
"Good. Now let's get down the docking bay," Squall said and exited the door.  
  
"I hate him."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Are you sure you'll be all right, Leon?" King Mickey asked while Chip and Dale were showing Seifer how to operate the nav computers.   
  
"Yes, your highness. I just hope we can find the Keyblade Master in time."  
  
"I trust in you, Leon. But remember what I said before about Daemon. Keep a close watch on him. The agents of darkness will be always looking to add more to their ranks."  
  
Squall nodded and boarded the ship, where he sat next to Seifer in the cockpit. Chip and Dale began the countdown.  
  
"Ready?" Squall asked.   
  
"No. I don't believe this. Going on a bunch of dusty legends and stories," Seifer answered, punching the nav key probably harder than was necessary.  
  
"Too late now," Squall said as their ship was dropped unceremoniously into space.   
  
~TBC~ 


End file.
